Hungary rose in rebellion in 1848. It was introduced to Christianity in the late 10th century. Hungary became a part of the Roman Empire in 14 BC as the province of Pannonia, while he east remained in the hands of Germanics and other tribes. Hungary reached a high level of cultural and political influence during the Renaissance in the 15th century. In 1867, the Dual Monarchy, a power shared between Austrians and Hungarians was established. It was later destroyed by a heightened national awareness and desire for self rule among Slavic minorities. This division contributed to the beginning of World War I in 1914. After World War I, Hungary became an independent republic. However, Hungary lost two thirds of its former territory and three fifths of its people to newly created neighbor states. Hungary has a population of almost 10,000,000 people. Their official language is Magyar, or Hungarian. About 52% of the population is Roman Catholic. The remainder is made up of Calvinist (16%), Lutherans, Atheists and more. During the communist rule, religious groups were carefully regulated through government agency until 1990 when religious freedom was granted to everyone. Clothing styles in urban areas are much like the kinds in Western Europe. Meals are much like US meals. For breakfast, Hungarians usually eat eggs, cheese, and yogurt. For lunch, they eat salad, soup, meat, and potatoes. For dinner, Hungarians usually eat a light meal of cold cuts, fruit, bread/rolls, and a drink.
2. Year of Admission to E.U. History and General Information about the E.U.
Hungary was admitted into the European Union in the year of 2004. The E.U. is a supranational organization because shares open borders, common goals, and the same currency among all the countries within the union. The E.U. government also watches over the individual governments of each country in the E.U. Robert Schuman's speech was one of the events that led to the beginning of the European Union. His speech was about putting ideas forward to create peace and cooperation in Europe. After the speech, some of the countries started putting his ideas into action. In 1952, a common market was created for steel and coal only. In 1958, six countries removed trade barriers that crossed country boarders on all goods. At this time, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are all in the E.U. The goal of the European Union is to create a united Europe. It plans to do this by making the economy, lives of people, and the government better in all of the member countries. For a European country to get into this organization, the country has to have all of the same rules and policies of the E.U. It is the leading exporter of the world. Since the E.U. was made, Europe has enjoyed the longest period of peace in Europe history. The E.U. wants to be one nation like the Untied States. It has created its own flag, its own national anthem, and has a special day to celebrate Europe called Europe Day. The E.U. still plans to become even more nation like in the future.
3. How does the E.U. and your country feel about global temperatures/climate change? (environmental issue)
Click on the map shown above to see the scene of the capital city of Hungary, Budapest, that is one of the most polluted cities in Hungary.
The E.U. deals with global environmental concerns. A positive outcome of the E.U.-US Summit in June 2001 was the recognition of the need to promote effective ways to address climate change.
Hungary protects some parts of the natural areas. Most cities in Hungary have major air pollution problems. They are trying to lower Green House gases by 6% by 2012/14. Hungary is obligated to clean up river pollution, protect the ozone layer, and protect endangered species. Scientists with the European Environment Agency say the continent must begin dealing systematically with the devastating effects of climate change in Budapest, Hungary. At a conference in Hungary, Jacqueline McGlade cited that vanishing glaciers caused severe flooding, forest fires, and heat waves. These effects killed thousands of people in Southern Europe in 2003. Click on the link to hear our view!
4. How does the E.U. and your country feel about supporting the war in Afghanistan? (political issue)
The E.U. is supporting the war by reinforcing law and order, regulating drug problems, and helping with people's health care. Also, the E.U. is helping against terroists and rebuilding the country. The European Union is one of Afghanistan's largest donors, ready to work very closely with Afghanistan at any time. The organization is spending about one billion Euros on civilan and political development projects a year, like sending a police training operation to Afghanistan. The E.U. wants to send more peacekeepers over to Afghanistan.
Hungary is also doing many tasks to help with the war. This country has about two hundred soldiers in Afghanistan to help rebuild it and it has been expanding the support since 2001. It has also been securing conditions for a peaceful rebuilding and development, economic development, and to set up security forces to keep everything in Afghanistan in order. Also, Hungary constructing activities which will help create a peaceful living amongst the peolple. The contribution to Afghanistan from Hungary has been growing since 2003. In 2006, Hungary took over leadership of Baghlan Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to help with development projects. Hungary's Justice and Law Enforcement Ministry gave five staff members to the police training operation run by the E.U. in Afghanistan. Hungary is helping with creating new laws for Afghanistan which are based on its own laws. Click on the link to hear our view!
5. What is the economic background of your country and how does your country feel about supporting the economies of weaker countries in the E.U? (economic issue)
Hungary has not adopted the euro yet but is trying to do so. Because of Hungary's budget defect, their economy nearly collapsed in 2008. To keep the economy up, it has loans worth twenty five billon dollars worth in United States currency that are from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Hungary is trying to transition to a free-market economy and it has been difficult for many of the citizens because many of them are not used to this new economy. Right now, Hungary's currency is the Forint. Even though Hungary's economy is not very good at this time, it welcomes foreign investments and trade to help rebuild the economy and to increase its hard currency reserves. The foreigin ownership of investment in Hungary is wide spread with an investment totaling more than two hundred billion since 1989.
Click on the link to hear our view!
2. Year of Admission to E.U. History and General Information about the E.U.
3. How does the E.U. and your country feel about global temperatures/climate change? (environmental issue)
Click on the map shown above to see the scene of the capital city of Hungary, Budapest, that is one of the most polluted cities in Hungary.
Hungary protects some parts of the natural areas. Most cities in Hungary have major air pollution problems. They are trying to lower Green House gases by 6% by 2012/14. Hungary is obligated to clean up river pollution, protect the ozone layer, and protect endangered species. Scientists with the European Environment Agency say the continent must begin dealing systematically with the devastating effects of climate change in Budapest, Hungary. At a conference in Hungary, Jacqueline McGlade cited that vanishing glaciers caused severe flooding, forest fires, and heat waves. These effects killed thousands of people in Southern Europe in 2003.
Click on the link to hear our view!
4. How does the E.U. and your country feel about supporting the war in Afghanistan? (political issue)
Hungary is also doing many tasks to help with the war. This country has about two hundred soldiers in Afghanistan to help rebuild it and it has been expanding the support since 2001. It has also been securing conditions for a peaceful rebuilding and development, economic development, and to set up security forces to keep everything in Afghanistan in order. Also, Hungary constructing activities which will help create a peaceful living amongst the peolple. The contribution to Afghanistan from Hungary has been growing since 2003. In 2006, Hungary took over leadership of Baghlan Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to help with development projects. Hungary's Justice and Law Enforcement Ministry gave five staff members to the police training operation run by the E.U. in Afghanistan. Hungary is helping with creating new laws for Afghanistan which are based on its own laws.
Click on the link to hear our view!
5. What is the economic background of your country and how does your country feel about supporting the economies of weaker countries in the E.U? (economic issue)
Click on the link to hear our view!